Impact Challenge Partnership

Originally launched in 2022 with support from LEAPS, this is a unique partnership between Higher Education institutions in Edinburgh to engage S3 students from Widening Participation backgrounds in local schools every year.

Impact Challenge 2025

Currently the partnership includes University of Edinburgh, Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh Napier University and Heriot-Watt University. Each year, throughout April and May, academics from each university delivers a workshop to each participating local school, in order to give a taste of what can be learnt at University to the students involved. These interactive workshops are designed to get pupils to think about what the world will look like in the near future and they are based around a range of different subjects, including chemistry, music, public health, psychology. The secondary schools that are participating in 2025 are Whitburn Academy, Leith Academy, Gracemount High School, Musselburgh Grammar School, with 25 students taking part from each school.

In June, to celebrate the project, we bring together all participating students to the campus of one of the universities for a final showcase event. In 2025, students will be welcomed at the Queen Margaret University campus. The event enables students to experience a university campus in person while meeting pupils from other schools. During the event, students have the opportunity showcase what they worked on during each of the workshops and explore what the other classes have been up to.

• 235 S3 pupils have benefitted from the project so far.
• Within the University we have delivered this collaboratively with the School of Chemistry and the Alwaleed Centre.